About the Grapevine Data

Since 1960, Grapevine has published annual compilations of data on state tax support for higher education, including general fund appropriations for universities, colleges, community colleges, and state higher education agencies. Each year’s Grapevine survey has asked states for tax appropriations data for the new fiscal year and for revisions (if any) to data reported in previous years. 

As of fiscal year 2010, Grapevine tables--including both tax and non-tax support--have been produced by Illinois State University’s Center for the Study of Education Policy in cooperation with the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).  The Grapevine survey has been consolidated with the annual survey used by SHEEO in its State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) project. This consolidated questionnaire asks for data that are compiled in a new State Support for Higher Education database.  This database, in turn, is used to produce both the annual Grapevine tables, which provide a first look at state appropriations for the new fiscal year, and the annual SHEF report, which offers a more complete examination of trends in total state support for higher education, factoring in inflation and enrollment. The SHEF report for FY17 will be released shortly by SHEEO.

The results of the Grapevine survey for fiscal year 2017-18 (FY18), including tax and nontax monies, are compiled in the national tables available on this website.  The FY18 data summarized in these tables represent initial allocations and estimates reported by the states from September 2017 through January 19, 2018, and are subject to change.

Sophia Laderman of the SHEEO staff led the data collection effort. Further revisions may be made as states make corrections or adjust their budgets in the face of ongoing revenue shortfalls.  In addition, it is important to note that unlike Grapevine reports issued prior to fiscal year 2009-10, the data from the survey for FY17 include only state totals.  The new, consolidated questionnaire does not ask states to provide appropriations figures for individual colleges and universities. Please click on the "Method" tab to the right for further information on what data we ask the states to provide.

Thank you for your interest in Grapevine. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Jim Palmer
Grapevine Editor
January 22, 2018